Chicago Teachers Union Legislators/Educators Appreciation Dinner Honors State Representatives Al Riley, Cynthia Soto and Alderman Scott Waguespack
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 29th, 2010
Nearly 1,000 supporters of Chicago public education – teachers, parents, students and elected officials – will gather at the Chicago Teachers Union’s Legislators/Educators Appreciation Dinner October 29, 2010 to honor elected officials and outline public education legislative priorities.
“Today we will honor legislators who have tirelessly supported Chicago’s public schools. 32nd Ward Alderman Scott Waguespack courageously stood up to reform tax increment financing which robs our schools of much needed funding and he stood against the privatization of Chicago’s public services. Representative Cynthia Soto waged a long battle to establish the General Assembly's Chicago Educational Facilities Task Force which she co-chairs. This Task Force aggressively works to ensure capital improvements and new construction equity for all neighborhoods based on need, not political clout. The clarity of her work played out in the battle waged by Whittier Elementary parents’ 44 day stand-off with the Chicago Board of Education for the most basic of all services – a fully stocked and staffed library. Representative Al Riley never waivered in promoting the best interests of students and teachers of this state. His unflagging support for more equitable school funding so all children receive a quality education and the protection of teachers’ pensions so they have a dignified retirement is recognized today.”
The awards include the Dave Peterson Award, a memorial to the CTU lobbyist’s life’s work defending public education, conferred on Representative Al Riley; the Defender of Public Education Award conferred on Alderman Scott Waguespack; and the Spirit of the Community Award conferred on Representative Cynthia Soto.
The awards dinner was held 10/29/10 at the International Union of Operating Engineers at 2260 S. Grove Street, Chicago, IL.
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The Chicago Teachers Union represents 30,000 teachers and educational support personnel working in the Chicago Public Schools and, by extension, the students and families they serve. CTU, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Federation of Teachers, is the third largest union in the country and the largest local union in Illinois.
